ANALYSIS OF THE SUBTROPICAL BLACKBERRY CULTIVAR POTENTIAL IN JELLY PROCESSING
Berries are small fleshy fruits that are typically eaten fresh and mainly, due to theirs limited shelf-life, in products such as juice, jam, jelly, wine and syrup. Blackberry are widely consumed and have attracted much attention due to their potential human health benefits, been and excellent source of bioactive compounds. In Brazil, there are numerous blackberry cultivars under cultivation, however, only a few cultivars, such as the Guarani, are displayed/used for processing. In this context, the aim of this work was to study the effects of different blackberry cultivars (Guarani, Brazos, Comanche, Tupy, Cherokee, Caingangue and Choctaw) on the physicochemical, texture profile and the consumer acceptance of the resulting jelly to identify the potential use of these cultivars in the jelly industry. Physicochemical analyses of color (L*, a* and b*), pH, total acidity, soluble solids, total sugar and soluble pectin were performed for the blackberry cultivars, as well as physicochemical analyses of color (L*, a* and b*), pH and total acidity were performed in the jellies. Blackberry jellies were also subjected to acceptance test and texture profile analysis (TPA). It was verified that it is feasible to produce blackberry jellies with the Tupy, Comanche, Brazos, Guarani and Choctaw cultivars because these jellies demonstrated good acceptability combined with good productivity. Consumers were shown to have a preference for a softer and less consistent blackberry jelly, with higher acidity and a more intense reddish color.